Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8770 in DVD
• Released on: 2010-03-01
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Spirit-crushing, juvenile nonsense.
Picture yourself as a Dr Who script-writer in 1987. You have a new Doctor, the chance to re-launch the series into an exciting new age, a talented and inventive director, some great-looking sets and video effects, some good monsters and a first-rate guest cast including an actress who made portraying terrifying man-eaters an art form. So what do you do? Why, you go and write what is possibly one of the worst stories in Dr Who's entire canon.

For the benefit of the casual fan, this story involves the Rani (a villainous Time Lady) kidnapping a newly-regenerated Doctor so that he might assist her in her latest plan. What it all boils down to is four episodes of running around, being captured, escaping, being re-captured, the Doctor carrying on as though he's in a slapstick comedy, Mel being irritatingly insufferable and an ending that makes no sense whatsoever. Yes, it's one of those 'big idea' stories common during the early 1980s Dr Who. The writers are trying to be all clever and scientific but haven't really got the first idea what they're talking about. Kate O'Mara and Mark Greenstreet do a good job with the material they've been given, often quite comically say what the viewer is thinking. But it's a pity that the McCoy era, one of the most under-rated in the series' history, couldn't have started on a high note. It's also terrible to think a lot of more casual viewers judge McCoy's Doctor (one of the finest in the series' history and one whose tenure was tragically cut short) on this kind of rubbish. Why are they releasing this on DVD rather than one of the much better McCoy stories (Greatest Show In The Galaxy, Happiness Hatrol, Dragonfire) which still await DVD release?

Absolute rubbish!
What is it about most Doctor Who stories with the word 'time' in the title; they are nearly all absolutely dreadful and this one is no exception. The first outing for McCoy as The Doctor and he is clearly looking to inject some warmth and humour after what was written for Colin Baker's Doctor - loud and arrogant. The problem her is a story that is weak, lots of Bonnie Langford who, bless her, was probably the worst companion in the programme's history, both in terms of character and acting performance and it seemed to be the blueprint for the rest of the programme's existance in the 80s (with a couple of exceptions). A new Doctor needs a bold exciting story to engage the viewer; this is rank and seen by fans as in the worst tales in Doctor Who. You may like it, but that is a fact, and one I wholeheartedly agree with.

Oh, and we also get the first airing of the then new titles, complete with completely rubbish logo and a winking Doctor (someone punch John Nathan Turner). Colin Baker had declined to do a regeneration scene (and after the way he was treated by the Beeb, who can blame him?), so we get McCoy in a blond curly wig. Why exactly does he regenerate? It's all very flimsy and not very good. Still, on the plus side, most of the rubbish in the programme's history has now been released, so perhaps we can look forward ot some better titles.

Dire rubbish, don't buy unless you hate yourself!!!!!!!!!!!
Words fail me, it's difficult to review given you can't swear on Amazon. I decided a while ago I wasn't going to buy every Who back release just because of this sort of rubbish. The blame lies firmly with John Nathan Turner for wreaking the old run, Sylvester McCoy could have been so much better given his short piece in The Movie which proved a darker, less frivolous style gave him a chance to shine. This was the actual story which stopped me watching any more Who at the time. If you are really considering buying this, why not just burn your money as it's less painful, or even better let me have it!